Gen Chem & Organic on PCAT

[mimkt]

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Hi,
I studying for the PCAT and I would like some advice how to study for general chemistry and organic chem. Should I just study off of Dr. Collins or Kaplan? I am doing both right now, but Kaplan has a lot of information that it seems like I don't need. Dr. Collins is nice and straight to the point but I am not sure if it lacks some of the other important stuff.

Also any other tips since I am taking the PCAT in July?

 

[PocketJacks]

Use Collins or Kaplan for the content review itself but make sure to do all of the Collins practice tests and review them thoroughly and go over the content for the questions you got wrong. It'll allow you to efficiently study because you're focusing on weaknesses. This is especially true for the chem and quant sections.

 

[mimkt]

@PocketJacks But would collins be better for chem? Since for organic chem, kaplan does a lot of content but i heard that you only need to know the reactions. Thanks for answering my question though!

 

[PocketJacks]

Hmm I didn't really go over the Kaplan chem content so can't comment on it but Collins is definitely enough (and probably better). Since your test is in July, you definitely have time to go over both if you really wanted to. But once again, the key is practice not content review.

 

[YOWAT]

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[Erbium]

Kaplan Chem is way overwhelming. They make it seem like you need to memorize your entire year of Gen Chem, when really you just need a thorough understanding of a few key concepts and Collins really nails this. Also... buy the Pearson practice exams. I can't say this enough to people looking for advice on PCAT studying. I got a 93 composite (tanked math because I haven't taken Calculus yet) and ALL I worked with was Collins and the Pearson exams (the verbal is tough, though, if you don't already have a decent vocab...the 2014 Collins verbal was pretty weak). I came across quite a few questions from the Pearson exams and the Collins exams on the real thing.

A final piece of advice... the passage questions during the last round of tests were experimental and they were pretty brutal (I skipped them but tried to answer when I had time left over) so I would lurk on the forums as the test date approaches to see if anyone knows which questions are experimental this time around. It will help save you time on the real thing if the experimental questions in Chem and Bio are super obvious in the 2015 round.

 

[YOWAT]

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[SClENCE]

I took every Collins's test 2 times and scored 93 in chemistry. Studied the packet for any question that I wasn't 100% sure on between every test.

Could have scored better but I know I missed 2 questions that I was just an idiot and changed my answer at the last second lol

 

[PharmaBound]

@PocketJacks But would collins be better for chem? Since for organic chem, kaplan does a lot of content but i heard that you only need to know the reactions. Thanks for answering my question though!

yes